Improvement in potato-digger



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Letters-Patent No. 92,712, dated Jah/'20, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIG-G-ER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY FARMER, of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Potato- Diggers and Root-Excavators; andl do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus, with the fronttraction-wheel removed;

Figure 2 is a detached elevation of the rake and its connections and Figure 3 is a plan view of the same.

Like letters refer to like parts iu each figure.

The nature of this invention relates to an improvement in the construction of machines for digging potatoes and otheresculent roots, and consists inthe peculiar construction and arrangement of a series of rake-heads, attached to an endless chain, operating to clear the excavator, in a device for .throwing the rake in and out of gear with the traction-wheels, and in the arrangement of its gauge-wheels, for determining the depth of cut of the excavating-shovel; also in a pole or tongue, so arranged that the driver may adjust the same to the proper angle in the varying inclination of the frame of the implement.

In the drawings- A represents a proper frame, surmounting a transverse shaft or axle, B, revolving in bearings on its under side.

G are traction-wheels, revolving loosely on theends ofthe shaft, and support the whole.

D is a seat-frame, secured to the main frame over the axle.

E is a grated shovel or excavator, secured to and below the main frame, for under-running and taking up the hill or row and its contents.

To regulate the depth of the cut of the excavator, at the front end of the main frame, I journal a rock-y shaft, F, fig. 3, from whose arms, j', fig. 1, project vthe axles G, upon which rotate gauge-wheels H.

A lever, I, secured to the rock-shaft, and working in a quadrant, t', raises or lowers the gauge-wheels sufviiciently to accomplish the desired result.

As the inclination of the frame varies when theapparatus is or is not at work, the tongue or pole must be adjusted to a proper relative angle to it. The tongue J is provided with metallic hounds, K, pivoted to the sides of the frame at j. lo the rear end and the drum, is employed to raise the rear ends 'of lthe hounds, and depress the front end of the tongue to a proper level, when the machine is not at work.

To reverse this movement of the tongue, the driver, with'his foot, withdraws the spring-pawl m from the ratchet l, when the tongue'will accommodate itself to the strain from the breast-straps.

rlhe operation of the rakes may be explained .as follows:

A spur-wheel, O, is -sleeved on the shaft B, between the frame and the right traction-wheel. This spurwheel is provided with a spring-pawl, 0,*which engages with a ratchet, c, on the hub of the tractionwheel, so that the wheel will, in its forward movement, carry the spur-wheel with it, but will not move it if the machine be backed. A similar ratchet is attached to the other'traction-wheel, but the spur-gear is replaced by a face-plate secured to the shaft, carrying the spring-pawl, for communicating the full power' of both traction-wheels to the spur-wheel O, in moving in a direct line, and to prevent torsion in the shaft B in turning around.

P is a transverse shaft, rotating in suitable bearings on the main frame, behind the seatframe, carrying the grooved drums Q, and provided with-a pinion, p, rotated by the spur-wheel O, through the intermediate gear p', hung in the forked lever q, pivoted to the shaft I?, and so arranged as to enable the driver to throw it in or out of gear with the spur-wheel O, as may be necessary.

R is a shaft, carrying the drums r over the excavator, and rotating in a vibrating frame, S, pivoted to the main frameat s, and supported'by the stops t.

T are the heads of the rakes, whose ends are journalled in the solid links u, of the endless chains U, travelling in the grooves ofthe drumsl Q and lr.

Secured to each rake-head, at right angles with its teeth, is a guide, V, in which freely slides a rod, WV, one end of which is hinged to the next preceding rakehead, so that when the drums are revolved, the raketeeth on the under side of the endless chains will move to the rear in a vertical position, separating the earth o u the excavator, and, catching the vinesz drags the potatoes out of the adherent earth, leaving them on the surface of theground.

Should a stone, or a large stiff sod be taken up by the excavator, no damage can be done to the rakes, as the vibrating frame will lift up and allow the rakes Jto-slide over the obstruction.

By placing the transverse shaft'l)A Well to the rear, and consequently elongating the endless chains, `the rake-teeth will pass along over the shovel in a vertical position, carrying the vines well past it, letting them go before they turn to pass up over the rear drums.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to se# cure hy Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the rake-head T, pivoted in the endless chains U, with the guides V, and hinged guide-rods W, working on suitable drums; as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the above, the shaft P, rotated by the traction-wheel, through its ratchet c, engaging with the pawl o, of the spur-wheel O, rotating the pinionzp of said shaft, through the intermediate gear p', hung in the forked lever q, the shaft R rotating in the vibrating frame S, and carrying the drums rr, rotated by the endless chains U, from the drums Q, on the shaft P, when constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purposes speced.

3. The arrangement of the rock-shaft F, the arms f, the axles G, the gauge-Wheels H, the lever I,vand

' the quadranti, as and for the purpose above described.

specified.

HENRY FARMER.

Witnesses:

H. F. EBER'rs, J As. I. DAY. 

